Chess puzzles for Monday, 2 February 2026
Three new puzzles every day: easy, medium and hard. Try each one before you open the solution.
Easy: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 12... Bxe4.
Puzzle rating 1197
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
13. Qxf7#
FEN: 2rqk2r/1p2bppp/p2p1n2/4N1B1/2Q1b3/2N5/PPP2PPP/2KR3R w k - 0 13
Medium: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 39... Qd5.
Puzzle rating 1865
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
40. Rh8+ Kf7 41. Qxg7+ Kxg7 42. R2h7#
FEN: 6k1/1p4r1/p3b1pR/3q2P1/1P1Q4/5r2/PK5R/8 w - - 18 40
Hard: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 58. Rf3.
Puzzle rating 2300
Hint
Theme: quiet move, defensive move, advanced pawn
Show solution
58... Ra7 59. Rf1 a2 60. Ra1 Ra4
FEN: 8/2r2p1k/7P/6PK/8/p4R2/8/8 b - - 3 58